Royal lovers are all agog that a royal engagement will be announced after a proposal this Christmas. But marrying a British prince isn’t a dream — it’s a nightmare!

Brits are certain that second-in-line to the throne, 28-year-old Prince William, will FINALLY pop the question to his girlfriend of eight years, Kate Middleton.

Poor Kate, 28, has already been nicknamed “Waity Katy” by the vicious British press.

Now the former art student, who met the prince when they were both students at the University of St. Andrews, is apparently sitting on pins and needles, waiting for William to make their relationship official — and the drooling British press are convinced the wedding will take place July 23, 2011.

If the marriage happens it will be a HUGE deal for the Brits because… listen to this… Kate is a COMMONER (i.e. she doesn’t have one drop of royal blood in her pretty veins.)

That is a big hooray to many Great Brits who are sick to death of the ancient English class system. But it’s a travesty to members of the snobby upper crusty aristo-class who are horrified that a royal isn’t choosing a woman from their rich ranks!

Personally, I think William and the royals should be begging Kate to marry into their gene pool. They NEED her non-royal genes to add some genetic diversity and brains into their too-tight family.

It was only because Prince Charles roped in the gorgeous, saavy and warm-hearted Lady Diana Spencer that he ended up with such tall good-lookers as sons. William supposedly has some sensitivity and he can thank his mother Diana for that. Though she came from an aristo-background, she somehow didn’t have too many snobbish bones in her body.

Anyway, Kate should run for the hills while she still has a chance. I believe she does love William and that’s why she’s waited, but she’s also no doubt in love with the fairytale that she’ll be carried away by her real life prince.

The problem is there is no happily ever after. Apparently Williams’ grandmother, the Queen, isn’t too keen on commoner Kate, and we all know how well it goes for daughters-in-law when the Queen ices them. Look no further than sad, broke Fergie, the Duchess of York.

Then there’s the press. Kate is already being hounded, and it will only get way worse. She won’t get a moment’s peace from the royal-obsessed British press. They will insult and terrorize her and her family. They’ve already made fun of her hardworking mom, Carole, because she’s been known to chew gum.

Then there’s her freedom. She will no longer be able to make her own choices about what she does with her time and her career. She’s already apparently put her career of choice — photography — on hold because it wasn’t deemed appropriate for a royal wife. Previous to that she worked for the fashion ship Jigsaw.

Why should Kate have to give up a pursuit she loves to take on “official” duties, or simply to wait while Prince William follows the demands of his military career?

Instead, everything she does — from what she wears to how she raises her children — will be criticized by the queen and courtiers inside the palace, and by the press outside.

It will be relentless. And she will have no one to confide in that she can trust, except for her parents. If her feelings somehow leak, she will be criticized and ostracized by the Queen, her courtiers and possibly William, himself.

All she has to do is look at what happened to William’s poor mother, Diana. She was driven mad by her lack of privacy.

While William may not cheat on her to the degree that his father did to his mother with his longtime love, Camilla Parker Bowles — he MAY. Sons whose fathers’ cheat often repeat the behavior. Does she want to go through the same torment that Diana did? Is it really worth it for William? Does she love and cherish him so much that it makes up for the potential living hell she’ll be in?

Jewels, pretty clothes and castles don’t make up for having a warm, happy family life with the man you love.

Why don’t Kate and William do something really modern — like not marry? Live together, yes. Have children. Live quietly out of London. Out of the spotlight. Kind of like what Paul McCartney did with his beloved first wife Linda (though they did marry). Have a legal agreement to protect Kate and their children — but don’t marry and officially take on any role. Stay away from the Queen and court and just live the most normal life you can with William, if you must have him.

Only by doing that can you avoid the toxic situation that destroyed William’s wonderful mother, Diana.

If you can’t be happy with that, have a long heart-to-heart with Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson, and find another man and make another happy non-princessy life.